Sigri Mesta Ferries

Mesta Guide

Mesta is a town that is located on the Greek island of Chios that lies in the north east Aegean Sea and is the fifth largest Greek island with a coastline of around 120 km and a population of roughly 54,000. The island is only 3.5 nautical miles off the Turkish coast. Although it is not universally agreed, the island is thought to be one of the likely birth places of Homer and of the ancient mathematicians Hippocrates and Enopides. One of the most picturesque villages on the island is the medieval village of Mesta which has been preserved as a monument. The village has been built like a castle and dates back to the Byzantine period. In order to fortify the village, its houses were built close together in order to form a protective ring around it and the village's current residents still maintain the traditions of a 14th century village. The most important custom that takes place in the village is where the "Agas" trials, a satirical replica of the trials that used to take place under the occupation of Turkey, are presented.